Snow shoveling fitness class promises proper winter warm-up

Despite a life-time of shoveling, there’s a high probability my snow-removal technique is putting an unnecessary strain on my back.

And I certainly have been neglecting the pre-shovel and post-shovel stretching routine that personal trainer Luke Lewitzke displays in this video.

Lewitzke and another Elite Sports Club trainer will teach those stretches and proper lifting technique in two free “Snow Fit” classes next week; both at 7 p.m. at Elite’s Mequon location, 11616 N. Port Washington Rd., and at the Brookfield East location,13825 W. Burleigh Rd.

“So many times we don’t think of shoveling snow as an activity that we have to warm up or prepare for,” Lewitzke said. “You go out there in the cold, hunched over, shoveling as fast as you can, and not thinking about the stress you place on your back and muscles.”